28/04/2015
JESUS’ BLOOD
I take my mind this morning to a portion of scripture in the book of Hebrews 12:24.
First of all the book of Hebrews is a book to the Hebrews .It is a book primarily written to show us that in Christ we have many things that are better that they had before the day of Christ. The term “better” is frequently used in the book of Hebrews: We have a better mediator, we have a better covenant, a better high priest etc.
Paul compares the things we have in Christ to the things the Hebrews had before Christ.
Back to our main text in Hebrews 12:24, it quotes “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel”.
In our text, the blood of two people here is under contrast Abel (in the book of Genesis chapter 4) ,you remember was slain by his brother Cain .In Gen 4:10, Abel ‘s blood cried out from the ground , and if Abel’s blood cried out from the ground, Jesus’ blood cries out from the mercy seat of God .
Remember in our text, it says that the blood of Jesus speaks better things than the blood of Abel. There is no other fount I know apart from the blood of Jesus, that makes me white as snow! The blood of Jesus is more precious to me. I hope it is more precious to you too. The blood of Jesus reminds me of the song “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For pardon this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus ; For cleansing ,this my plea ,Nothing but the blood of Jesus ;Nothing can for sin a tone ,Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Oh precious is the flow ,that makes me white as snow; No other fount I know , Nothing but a blood of Jesus.
Jesus’ blood; Figure out this, Jesus hanging on a tree, suspended between heaven and the earth in agony and blood with His eyes fixed on you and I.
I can’t forget that look which seemed to charge me with His death, though He did not speak a word while He hang there. I saw my sins spilt His blood and helped to nail Him there.
Ooh I didn’t know what I was doing!
He gave me the second look again that said that I freely forgive all your sins! This blood is for thy ransom paid, I died that you must ‘live! Ooh what a precious flow is that blood of Jesus that makes me white as snow, No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.
A blood that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
The blood of Jesus brings a glorious message, a work accomplished, a work of saving His people ( that were given to Him by God the Father before the world began) from their sins: Mathew 1:21,Ephesian 1:4, John 17:2-4, Hebrews 9:12-The elect family of God that God chose by Himself ( from the fallen family of Adam) to be His people based on His love, purpose and will.
The blood of Abel speaks tragedy and shame .It’ actually cries out from the ground of sin, that was cursed because of Adam after he transgressed God’s law (Gen 3:17) is there blood that speaks of something better? No, except “the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel”. Nothing but the blood of Jesus .There is no other thing that can speak as the blood of Jesus speaks.
Something that we look at in the blood of Jesus is that it points to sin .It also covers sin and atones for sin .The blood of Jesus speaks better things ;we see sin covered , sin put away and sin atoned for .The blood of Jesus speaks of holiness set over against sin. Sin is washed and made white as snow. Sincerely the blood of Jesus speaks better than that of Abel.
When we hear and read that the blood of Jesus speaking of our eternal salvation from sin , or of cleansing from sin , and of holiness , well we may , say that precious is the flow of Jesus’ blood that makes me white as snow, no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Abel’s blood speaks of broken hearts, a home broken, sad, and weeping and in deep sorrow because a brother has slain a brother, sad, a tragedy and shame. This is not a glorious message but a sad one! Jesus blood doesn’t speak of broken hearts, but united souls. It doesn’t speak of weeping hearts but it speaks of hearts filled with joy, peace and gladness. Not of eyes filled with tears, but a message of eyes wiped free of tears through the benefits of the blood of Jesus .Things that are better than those of Abel.
The blood of Abel cried out and brought a message of a brother dead through the sin of a brother .The blood of Jesus cries out and sings to us of a brother , the greatest , and the most noble brother, our Lord ,Master and Saviour Jesus Christ. His blood was shed for His brethren to bring peace, joy and eternal salvation.
Ooh brother aren’t you happy that we have a blood of Jesus speaking of more precious, more wonderful things?
Abel’s blood cried from a ground of a home that was broken .What is more tragic than a broken home? Homes are broken because of sin. And it was because of sin that the blood of Abel cries and brings this message of a broken home one taken out of the family circle. The blood of Jesus speaks of an everlasting covenant. All that He redeemed will have been gathered home. No sin, no weeping, no sorrow, no broken hearts. Isn’t this not a wonderful message! The blood of Abel speaks death and separation, death brings about gloom and sorrow in our families when we lose our loved ones.
In 1 peter 1:18-21, Peter said that you’re not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but you’re redeemed with the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How glorious is the manifestation of it!
When sin reaches the very picture of the message of Abel’s blood , when sin also darkens your mind and brings grief to you, remember to set over against that holiness through the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed for you on that old rugged cross of Jesus Christ; pointing to calvary, the prophet long before! Him said in Isaiah 53:11” when God shall make His son an offering for sin,” He (God) shall see the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied “How could He be satisfied? “ For by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many?” The Lord’s pleasure shall prosper in His hands. That is the message of Jesus’ blood.
A fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s vein, and sinners plunged beneath its flood , lose all their guilty stain”
This blood enables us to sing, it gives us peace and joy in our hearts. Is your hope resting on that blood and its precious message? Do you find shelter in the eternal rock of ages? Have you denied yourself to take up your cross to follow Him as His disciple? May God continue to help and bless us as we dedicate our lives to the service of the one who poured out His precious blood for you and I, whose blood sings to me of peace, holiness, eternal life joy and rest. That’s “the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel”
God bless you is my prayer.
Elder Martin Onyoni
